Alexios V

Alexios V Doukas Αλέξιος Εʹ Δούκας
Alexios V, from an illuminated manuscript
Emperor of the Byzantine Empire
Reign	1204
Predecessor	Isaac II Angelos and Alexios IV Angelos Nikolaos Kanabos
Successor	Constantine Laskaris (Nicaea) Michael I Komnenos Doukas (Epirus) Alexios I of Trebizond Baldwin I of Constantinople
Born	1140 (1140)
Died	December 1204 (1205-01)
Spouse	Eudokia Angelina
Dynasty	Angelos dynasty

Alexios V Doukas or Alexius V Ducas (Greek: Ἀλέξιος Εʹ Δούκας; d. December 1205) was the Byzantine emperor from 5 February to 12 April 1204 during the second and final siege of Constantinople by the participants of the Fourth Crusade. He was a member of the Doukas family, nicknamed Mourtzouphlos or Murtzuphlus (Μούρτζουφλος), either in reference to bushy, overhanging eyebrows or a sullen, gloomy character.

A Byzantine nobleman, his participation in the attempted overthrow of Alexios III Angelos by John Komnenos the Fat in 1200 had led to his imprisonment until the restoration to the throne of Isaac II Angelos. Isaac II, along with his son Alexios IV Angelos, were restored to the throne through the intervention of leaders of the Fourth Crusade in July 1203. Released, Murtzuphlus was allowed the court position of protovestiarios. He had been married twice but was allegedly the lover of Eudokia Angelina, a daughter of Emperor Alexios III Angelos.

By the beginning of 1204, Isaac II and Alexios IV had inspired little confidence among the people of Constantinople in their efforts to defend the city from the Latins and Venetians, who were restless and rioted when the money and aid promised by Alexios IV was not forthcoming. Alexios Doukas emerged as a leader of the anti-Latin movement and personally led some skirmishes against the crusaders. When the populace rebelled in late January 1204, the two emperors barricaded themselves in the palace and entrusted Alexios Doukas with a mission to seek help from the crusaders. Instead, Alexios Doukas used his access to the palace to arrest the emperors. The young Alexios IV was strangled in prison, while his father Isaac died shortly afterwards, his death variously attributed to fright, sorrow, or foul play. Alexios V Doukas was crowned in early February 1204.